The present invention concerns a device for connecting conductors of a power cable to conductors of a distribution cable.
Located at the various nodes of a distribution network are devices with which one or more power cables can be connected to one or more distribution cables in order to create spurs of the network.
These devices are referred to, depending on their level within the network, as distribution boxes, distribution or splitter terminals, interior or exterior subdistributors, and distributors.
In each case, at least one power cable and at least one distribution cable arrive at the device, where they are connected in appropriate fashion, each conductor of the power cable, or power conductor, being connected to a conductor of the distribution cable, or distribution conductor, via a linking conductor also referred to as a "jumper."
In existing communication networks, the cable heads are arranged vertically one above another, mounted on trusses which are constituted by vertical formed sections.
A plurality of trusses are generally placed alongside one another so that the set forms a two-dimensional distributor in which the cable heads are distributed in rows and columns.
The power cable terminates at certain cable heads, and the distribution cable terminates at other cable heads, and the jumpers link the cable heads two by two by passing within the distributor along the lines and columns of the latter.
The conductors can be electrical conductors, i.e. generally copper wires, or optical conductors, i.e. optical fibers.
In the first case, the jumpers are constituted by segments of electrical wire, while in the second case they are segments of optical fiber.
In both cases, the arrangement in rows and columns of the cable heads demands the use of jumpers having lengths which differ from one pair of conductors to another.
This is detrimental to the general organization of the distributor, and does not allow easy visual identification of the various jumpers linking the power cables to the distribution cables.
A particular problem arises when one wishes to modify a connection by changing only the distribution conductor connected to a power conductor.
The reason is that the jumpers are generally so intermingled with one another that it is impossible to displace one of the ends of a jumper in order to connect it to another distribution conductor.
It is thus preferable to cut the two ends of the jumper and leave it in place, then to add a new jumper between the power conductor and the new conductor of the distribution cable.
Work must therefore be performed at regular intervals on the distributor to revise all the connections and eliminate the jumpers that have become superfluous.